Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game device of the type including playing pieces, a playing board, a chance device for random chance advancement of the playing pieces along the board, with the playing board having simulated hazards positioned on the game board in the playing piece path of travel which must be successfully traversed or completed by a player during advancement of the playing piece from a starting point to a completion point. Auxiliary playing piece support members are provided for temporary attachment to the playing pieces for assistance in traversing some of the hazards, said hazards including a partition extending across the board along which a playing piece may move.

[111- 3,735,9Sfi

[451 May 29,1973

[54] BOARD GAME APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Marvin I. Glass; Joseph Burck; An-

dras Race, all of Chicago, 111.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass Associates, Chicago,

Ill.

22 Filed: May 14,1971

21 Appl.No.: 143,484

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,656,751 4/1972 Glass et al ..273/l34 B 74,308 2/1868 Colbum ..46/100 638,982 12/1399 Oliphant.... .....273/l26 R 2,942,886 6/1960 Ackerman ..273/99 3,594,002 7/1971 Glass et a1 ..273/134 B Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-J. F. Coffee, J. M. Wetzel, J. R. Sweeney, J.

Robert Stapleton, W. R. McNair and John R. Hoffman [5 7 ABSTRACT A game device of the type including playing pieces, a playing board, a chance device for random chance advancement of the playing pieces along the board, with the playing board having simulated hazards positioned on the game board in the playing piece path of travel which must be successfully traversed or completed by a player during advancementof the playing piece from a starting point to a completion point. Auxiliary playing piece support members are provided for temporary attachment to the playing pieces for assistance in traversing some of the hazards, said hazards including a partition extending across the board along which a playing piece may move.

41 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 9000 ale;

Patented May 29, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 29, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M4EW/V GLASS M055 M 51 1967? 4/1 0248 465 BY WW Mu, S MM ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1973 3,735,986

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS MAEW/VA GLASS JOSEPH/14.502614 A/VOQAS FACE ATTORNEYS BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to game devices and more particularly to the game devices of the type where a playing piece is advanced responsive to the dictates of a chance device and is also subject to interruption in its movement, pending completion of a successful maneuver involving a simulated hazard or the like.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Perhaps the most common form of game devices are those involving a game board, playing pieces, and a chance device for determining the random advancement of the playing piece along the game board. It is common that a playing piece may land in a certain area which will subject the player to a penalty or a retrograde movement or require the player to select an instruction card to determine a subsequent action to be taken with respect to the playing piece. Because games of this type are easily understood and capable of being played by participants of widely divergent ages, they have been popular and, being so popular, improvements in, or new versions thereof, are well received and desired in the art.

This invention is directed towards meeting the continuing need and desire in the art to provide an improvement in games of this type wherein the playing piece of a player mustsuccessfully complete certain hazards during its path of travel across the game board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to an improvement in games of the type wherein playing pieces are advanced forwardly responsive to the dictates of a random chance device and may be subjected to hazards or instructions resulting in interruption in the movement of the playing pieces.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention includes a-game board having means thereon indicating a sequential playing piece path of travel. The game board is provided with an upstanding partition dividing the game board into different compartments with different simulated hazards or exercises of skill located in the different compartments adjacent the playing piece path of travel. Playing pieces and a chance device are provided as well as supplemental playing piece elements to be used in association with the playing pieces for successfully traversing some of the hazards. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the game board utilized with this invention;

FIG. 2 is'a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the game board of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the other portion of the game board of this invention;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the playing pieces and supplementary accessories to be utilized therewith;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of one hazard on the game board of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary exploded view of the assembly of another hazard on the game board of this invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary exploded view of still another hazard utilized on the game board of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary exploded view of the assembly of still another hazard on the game board of this invention; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fastening element utilized with the game board of this invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game 10 of this invention includes a game board 12, here shown in a rectangular configuration, and preferably made of a suitable hard rigid material such as cardboard, pressed wood, plastic, or the like. Game board 12 is intended to be used with playing pieces 14, 16 and 18, which in the preferred embodiment are simulated child-like figures. The game board includes indicia thereon indicating a start 22, a finish 24, and a plurality of adjacent defined spaces 26 formed in a tortuous path and extending between the start 22 and finish 24 and defining a path of playing piece travel across the board. A wall or partition means 28 extends uprightly from the game board in two portions, one portion 28a, which extends across the mid-portion of the board, and the other portion 28b, which extends along one side of the game board.

The game of this invention includes a first hazard, or test of skill 30, shown in the form of a simulated tree. The simulated tree 30 may be comprised of two generally planar cut-out pieces joined together in an intersecting relationship, such as by longitudinal slots in each piece, and is supported on a base 32 which includes an X-shaped slot arrangement 34 for snugly receiving the simulated tree 30. A stub 36 protrudes downwardly from the underside of the base 32 and terminates in an enlarged head 38 to provide a-means for connecting the base 32 to the game board 12 by inserting the stub 36 in the slot .40 which opens to one side of the game board 12. The first hazard or simulated tree 30 includes'part of a means for performing a physical test of skill in the form of a depending strand 42 which supports asimulated tire 44. One end of portion 28a of partition 28 is provided with a cantilevered and upstanding finger 46. It is intended that, during the play of the game, as the players playing piece approaches the simulated tree 30 the player would then have to attempt to successfully hook the simulated tire 44 on the finger-like extension 46 of partition 28 before the player could continue to progress his playing piece along the playing board.

The game of this invention includes a second test of skill or hazard means which incorporates the use of the partition 28 as well as a first playing piece auxiliary implement 48 illustrated in FIG. 4. The top of both portions 28a and 28b of partition 28 is provided with a peaked cap 50 including a portion 500 which is pivoted at 52 to the portion 28a of the partition so that it is movable upwardly in the direction of the arrow A."

a body having a medial slot 56 for receiving and grasping the foot of a simulated figure. Body 55 supports a depending pulley member 58. A pair of balancing wings 60a and 60b extend outwardly and downwardly in opposite directions from the pulley member 58. Once a contestant has successfully executed the impalement of the simulated tire 44 on finger 46, he then places his playing piece into the slot 56 of the auxiliary member 48, places the pulley portion 58 on the movable portion 50a of the fence cap 50, and raises the portion 50a in the direction indicated by the arrow A in an effort to successfully skate his playing piece completely along the top of the partition 28 until it arrives at the stop member 62. The player may not continue the progress. of his playing piece along the playing board until he has successfully accomplished this maneuver.

The game of this invention further includes a third hazard or test of skill 64. Included in the third test of skill is a simulated pond 66 having different zones 66a, 66b and 660 of different indicated pointvalue. Further included are three preferably wafer or disc-like simulated pebbles 68. When a contestant has advanced his playing piece to the specific area on which the simulated pebbles 68 are located, he then attempts to slide the simulated pebbles 68 towards the simulated pond 66 and will be awarded a point count corresponding to the areas of the pond in which the three simulated pebbles come to rest. For convenience, the area 70 may be provided with a plurality of recessed or cut-out areas 70a for nestably retaining the pebbles 68 therein.

Following this, the player may then advance his playing piece through the cut-out area 72 of partition portion 28a and proceed to the next, or fourth, test of skill or hazard, 74. Included in the means defined in the fourth test of skill 74 are marble-like playing elements 75 and upstanding rails 76 bounding a defined area including simulated pumpkin portions, and recessed portions or receptacles 80 of a size and shape to generally nestably receive the playing elements 75. When the playing piece has reached the area generally indicated by station 82, a participant may then only advance a number of spaces corresponding to the number of recesses or receptacles 80 into which he has rolled elements 75 from one side of fence 28 through opening 72. Variations of the game may include the number of chances that the participant has to roll simulated elements 75 into receptacles 80 and also the number of spaces a playing piece may'advance for each successful throw.

The game further includes a fifth test of skill or hazard, generally indicated 84. For this purpose, the game board 12 is provided with two spaced apart apertures 86 for receiving stubs 88 depending from the underside of a supporting base 90. Supporting base 90 includes two spaced apart uprights 92, having cross apertures 94 therein, for receiving the laterally outwardly extending pins 96 of the simulated plank-like teeter-totter member 98. Member 98 includes a depending leg 100 for limiting the downward movement thereof.

Further included in the test of skill or hazard 84 are spaced slots 102 in the game board for receiving depending tabs 104 on the underside of a simulated structure, such as the simulated dog house 106. The simulated dog house 106 has a simulated animal figure 108 on the top thereof which rests, by frictional engagement, between two upstanding tabs 110. At the opposite end, the simulated animal 108 has a pair of laterally protruding pins 112 which extend through slots 114 in spaced apart uprights 116 for pivotally mounting the element 108 with respect to the structure 106. A biasing means, here shown in the form of a rubber band 118, extends between a loop-like securement 120 with the simulated animal 108 to securement with a hooklike extension 122 on the structure 106. To successfully complete the test of skill 84, a contestant places a playing piece 16 in the channel-like slot 124a of the playing piece accessory element 124, here shown in the form of a semi-sphere. The playing piece 16 and accessory element 124 are placed at one end 126 of the simulated teeter-totter 98 and the opposite end 128 is given a flip, such as by the application of rapid downward pressure of the players finger on the upstanding lip 130 at the opposite end of the simulated teeter-totter, in an effort to launch the playing piece 16 and accessory 124 into a path of flight which will cause it to successfully clear the hazard comprised of the simulated dog house 106 and animal figure 108 thereon. Should the playing piece successfully clear this hazard, the player may then continue on his path of travel along the game board towards the end 24. Should the playing piece strike a portion of the structure 106 or animal figure 108 it will cause the animal figure to pivot upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow 3" under the urging of the biasing element 118 and the player must again attempt to successfully traverse this barrier on his next turn.

The sixth hazard comprises the simulated cookie jar 131 at the end or last station 24 of the game board 12. It is intended that a player would not be entitled to attempt to reach for a simulated cookie 132 out of the cookie jar 131 (by removing its lid 131a) unless he has thrown a number on the die 20 which is the exact number of remaining spaces necessary to traverse to arrive at the jar 131. Assuming that such an exact number has been thrown, the player then shakes the simulated jar 131 and removes the lid 131a and rolls out the simulated cookie 132. The simulated cookie has two sides, one of which looks like a burnt cookie, and the other of which looks like a good cookie. If the good side shows upwardly, the player has successfully completed the game. If the bad side shows upwardly, the player must return to the nearest double occupation space 134.

The game of this invention further includes instruction cards which may be located in any suitable area of the game board away from a hazard or the playing piece path of travel. Some of the spaces 26 in the playing piece path of travel have indicia thereon, such as the spaces 142, indicating that if a playing piece lands on the particular space the player is required to draw an instruction card 140, following which the player must follow theinstructions on the card which may require that he move his playing piece to a penalty space 144 and miss a turn in the play of the game.

As shown in FIG. 11, a fastening element or mounting clip is provided for securing the partition 28 to the game board 12. The clip is provided with two transversely oriented U-shaped portions 152 and 154 each of which has an outwardly opening slot 152a and 154a of a size to frictionallyreceive partition 28 and board 12 to releasably mount the partition to the board during the play of the game.

The game of this invention provides a unique concept of requiring players to successfully perform certain skills by the direct manipulation of some components of the game by the players themselves. In addition, the usual random advancement dictated by the chance device and the possible penalties resultant from a chance landing on a penalty space and the drawing of an instruction card, in combination with the physically manipulated hazards, provide a unique unpredictability to the game. It is believed that all of the physical skills which must be performed by the participants are within the capabilities of young children as well as older participants and are such as to be easily understood, as well as easily performed.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A game device comprising: a generally planar game board, a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along the path of travel; chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including movable components for operation by game participants with portions of the movable components constructed and arranged for receiving a playing piece for imparting movement to the playing piece responsive to movement of the movable components to cause further movement of the playing piece along the game board; whereby a playing piece may traverse the hazard and proceed further along the path of travel responsive to movement imparted to the movable components.

2. A game device comprising: a generally planar game board,a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along said path of travel, chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including a wall across the game board having a cap with a portion which is movable relative to the wall, a balancing member including a wheel for rollably engaging said cap and thereby being movable relative to the wall responsive to movement of said cap; said balancing member having a portion for receiving and holding a playing piece thereon, whereby a playing piece may be connected to the balancing member having its wheel engaging said cap, following which the movable portion of the cap may be moved to impart motion to the playing piece.

3. The game of claim 2 wherein said wall further includes an upstanding finger and a ring member is tethered to an upright member on the game board, said ring member being of a size and shape for impalement on said finger, said tether being of sufficient length to permit impalement of said ring member on said finger.

4. A game device, comprising: a generally planar game board, a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along said path of travel, chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including a panel pivoted to the game board for movement about a horizontal axis and a figure spaced from said pivoted panel and movably connected to said game board, said figure being normally urged to an upright position relative to said board, releasable retaining means for holding said figurein a retracted position relative to said game board, said retaining means being constructed and arranged to release said figure and permit said figure to spring to an upright position when said figure is struck by a playing piece launched by said pivoted panel. 

1. A game device comprising: a generally planar game board, a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along the path of travel; chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including movable components for operation by game participants with portions of the movable components constructed and arranged for receiving a playing piece for imparting movement to the playing piece responsive to movement of the movable components to cause further movement of the playing piece along the game board; whereby a playing piece may traverse the hazard and proceed further along the path of travel responsive to movement imparted to the movable components.
 2. A game device comprising: a generally planar game board, a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along said path of travel, chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including a wall across the game board having a cap with a portion which is movable relative to the wall, a balancing member including a wheel for rollably engaging said cap and thereby being movable relative to the wall responsive to movement of said cap; said balancing member having a portion for receiving and holding a playing piece thereon, whereby a playing piece may be connected to the balancing member having its wheel engaging said cap, following which the movable portion of the cap may be moved to impart motion to the playing piece.
 3. The game of claim 2 wherein said wall further includes an upstanding finger and a ring member is tethered to an upright member on the game board, said ring member being of a size and shape for impalement on said finger, said tether being of sufficient length to permit impalement of said ring member on said finger.
 4. A game device, comprising: a generally planar game board, a plurality of defined spaces on said game board defining a playing piece path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces for advancement along said path of travel, chance means for determining the movement of the playing pieces along said path of travel; a plurality of hazards on said game board adjacent to said path of travel, said hazards including a panel pivoted to the game board for movement about a horizontal axis and a figure spaced from said pivoted panel and movably connected to said game board, said figure being normally urged to an upright position relative to said board, releasable retaining means for holding said figure in a retracted position relative to said game board, said retaining means being constructed and arranged to release said figure and permit said figure to spring to an upright position when said figure is struck by a playing piece launched by said pivoted panel. 